Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

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reptilia5
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Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by reptilia5 »

Salvete omnes. Qvaestionem habeo: What criteria does a Latin word need to meet in order to be considered "literary/poetical" instead of "common" or "colloquial"? For example: "acersecomes" and "adolescens". Both words can be translated as "young man" but according to my research writers such as Cicero would use "acersecomes" (Graece: ἀκερσεκόμης).Does a word need to be of Greek origin in order to be considered literary or are there other criteria which it needs to meet? Thanks to anyone and everyone who can enlighten me on this.

"Home-education rocks!"

reptilia5
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Re: Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by reptilia5 »

Correction: It was Ivvenal,not Cicero, who used "acersecomes". My bad.

adrianus
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Re: Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by adrianus »

reptilia5 wrote:What criteria does a Latin word need to meet in order to be considered "literary/poetical" instead of "common" or "colloquial"?
It will be found only in works of poetry or high-brow works and not elsewhere (as in plays for the masses or in letters or elsewhere).
Solum poeticis vel altissimis in operibus verbum invenitur, nec in carminibus popularibus nec in epistulis nec alibi.
I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

reptilia5
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Re: Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by reptilia5 »

Intellego. Gratias tibi ago.

reptilia5
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Re: Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by reptilia5 »

"It will be found only in works of poetry or high-brow works and not elsewhere (as in plays for the masses or in letters or elsewhere)."

Understood. My next question: what writers and their works do I need to reading that is considered "high-brow"? Ceaser? Virgil? Cicero? Horace? Anyone else that I may not have mentioned? I ask this because I am looking to build a list of "alternative" and highly "educated Latin" vocabulary that is not found in the text-books.

Qimmik
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Re: Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by Qimmik »

You won't find acersecomes anywhere except a single instance in Juvenal. This isn't a word you'll want to add to your vocabulary--it's used ironically, much as English-speakers might insert a French or German word.

All surviving writers of Latin are "highly educated." Latin poets sometimes use a special poetic register, either for effect or because these words happen to fit the meter better than less poetic words.

reptilia5
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Re: Literary/Poetical Latin vocabulary

Post by reptilia5 »

Thank you for that information. I appreciate all feedback.

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